1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video processor configured to apply image processing to a 3D image signal including a left image signal and a right image signal and an activation method of the video processor.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a 3D endoscope capable of stereoscopic observation has been proposed and manufactured. An example of configuration of a video processor configured to process a 3D image signal including a left image signal and a right image signal obtained from the 3D endoscope will be described with reference to FIG. 6.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of configuration of a conventional video processor configured to display a 3D image signal.
In the example of configuration shown in FIG. 6, one 2D video processor 90L processes a left image signal L obtained from the 3D endoscope, and another 2D video processor 90R processes a right image signal R. A 3D synthesis section 99 synthesizes the processed left image signal and right image signal to perform 3D display.
A 3D image signal is basically picked up at a high definition (HD: high definition), and the left image signal L and the right image signal R are inputted at an HD clock (for example, 74 MHz). There is no difference between internal structures of the 2D video processor 90L configured to apply image processing to the inputted left image signal L and the 2D video processor 90R configured to apply image processing to the inputted right image signal R, and the 2D video processors 90L and 90R are normal video processors capable of processing high definition (HD) 2D image signals.
That is, each of the 2D video processors 90L and 90R includes: a connection portion 91 for connecting an endoscope; a clock changing section 92 configured to convert a clock of an image signal to a clock for executing imaging processing or the like; an image processing section 93 configured to execute image processing; an HD resolution conversion section 94 configured to convert a resolution of an image signal to a resolution of an HD image signal; a clock changing section 95 configured to convert a clock of an image signal to a standard definition (SD: standard definition) clock (for example, 13.5 MHz); an SD resolution conversion section 96 configured to convert a resolution of an image signal to a resolution of an SD image signal; an HD enhancement section 97 configured to apply an enhancement processing to an HD image signal; and an SD enhancement section 98 configured to apply an enhancement processing to an SD image signal.
When the 2D video processor 90L or 90R operates alone, a 2D HD endoscope is connected to input a 2D-HD image signal, or an SD endoscope (SD endoscope is basically only for 2D) is connected to input an SD image signal. In the 2D video processor 90L or 90R, the image processing section 93 executes the image processing at an HD clock to allow handling an HD image signal. Therefore, the clock changing section 92 changes the SD clock to the HD clock when an SD image signal is inputted and does not particularly change the clock when an HD image signal is inputted. To output the HD image signal to an HD monitor, the HD resolution conversion section 94 and the HD enhancement section 97 process the image signal subjected to the image processing by the image processing section 93. On the other hand, to output the SD image signal to an SD monitor, the clock changing section 95 changes the clock to the SD clock, and the SD resolution conversion section 96 and the SD enhancement section 98 process the image signal subjected to the image processing by the image processing section 93. Here, the 2D video processor 90L or 90R can perform both of outputting the HD image signal to the HD monitor and outputting the SD image signal to the SD monitor regardless of whether the input image signal is a 2D-HD image signal or an SD image signal.
When the 2D video processors 90L and 90R are combined to execute processing of a 3D-HD image signal by connecting a 3D-HD endoscope, the 2D video processor 90L can process the left image signal L, and the 2D video processor 90R can process the right image signal R. The 3D synthesis section 99 can perform 3D synthesis of the left image signal L outputted form the HD enhancement section 97 of the 2D video processor 90L and the right image signal R outputted from the HD enhancement section 97 of the 2D video processor 90R, and a 3D image signal can be displayed on a 3D-HD monitor. Even when a 3D-HD image signal is inputted, an output from one of the HD enhancement sections 97 can be connected to the HD monitor to observe one of the left image signal L and the right image signal R as a 2D HD image signal, and an output from one of the SD enhancement sections 98 can be connected to an SD monitor to observe one of the left image signal L and the right image signal R as a 2D SD image signal.